Learn to Love
by Amour-Lily
Summary: He's given up pranks, Quidditch, even us! It's not that bad, Lily said desperately, wanting the guilt to go away. You fix this, Sirius whispered, his eyes no longer angry, but looking at her pleadingly.


**Hey! This was just a little idea I came up with. It's really short, but remember to review at the end and tell me what you think!**

**Okay, here you go!**

**Learn To Love**

Everyone always stared at James Potter when he stepped onto Platform nine and three quarters, but those were looks of admiration and awe. Now, when the young man of age seventeen stepped onto the platform to start his final year at Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he got nothing but looks of pure horror from girls, and disbelief and shock from the boys. This didn't seem to bother him though, for his eyes searched the platform for one person. One _girl _to be exact.

"Prongs!" James turned to see his three best friends standing behind him, also wearing expressions of disbelief. "Oh dear Merlin!" Sirius Black yelled out dramatically. "I leave you for a couple of months and _this_ is what I come back to!"

James smiled. Without replying, he turned toward another one of his best friends, Remus Lupin. "We should head toward the prefect carriage, Remus."

Remus raised his eyebrows. "Yes,_ I_ should. Prongs, I don't think Lily will like it much if you sneak into the prefect carriages again."

Jamkes shook his head, reached into his pocket and took out a Head Boy badge. All the Marauders mouths dropped; Remus was the first to recover.

He grinned at James. "You've been stealing my mail?"

James gave a small chuckle and took out a small piece of parchment, handing it to Remus. "It really is mine," he replied.

Sirius and Peter Pettigrew looked over Remus's shoulder and quickly scanned the paper. Sirius gave out a low whistle.

"They really made you Head Boy?" Sirius was looking at James as if his skin had turned blue.

James nodded. "Sirius, Peter, you should find us a compartment. Remus and I will meet up with you soon."

Still staring at James curiously, Remus followed suit.

* * *

Seventeen year old Lily Evans jumped slightly as a girl with straight shoulder length dark brown hair jumped into the compartment, slamming the door shut. 

"Lily, you won't believe it!" the girl cried, her grey eyes wide with shock.

Lily looked at her best friend, concerned. "What is it?"

"It's about James Potter!"

Lily's emerald green eyes darkened considerably. "What, his head grew another whole inch over the summer?"

"No! He just-"

"Listen, Beverly, I don't want to be rude, but whatever concerns Potter, I really could care less. Make yourself comfortable, I'll be back soon. I need to go to the Head carriage." Lily quickly showed her friend the Head Girl Badge she had received over the summer with pride. She opened the door just as another one of her friends came tumbling into the room.

"Hi, Lucy. See you, Lucy," Lily said quickly as she pushed past her friend.

Lucy shut the door behind her, looking a bit confused. Running a hand through her long dirty blonde hair, she took a seat next to Beverly.

"Have you seen James Potter?" Lucy asked.

Beverly nodded.

"Dose Lily know that he-"

Beverly held up her hand. "She will. Three...two...one-"

Sure enough, a shrill scream could be heard from the end of the train. Beverly giggled. "Yes, I'd say Lily just found out who the Head Boy is."

* * *

Lily let out a shrill scream the moment she stepped into the Prefect compartment. Everyone in the room slammed their hands over their ears. Lily stopped and took a few steps closer to the reason she screamed. She reached out and poked him in the chest. 

"Potter?" she whispered, not daring to speak any louder. "Is that you?"

On any other occasion, the fact that James made Head Boy would shock her beyond belief, but the change in him was what shocked and scared her the most. This wasn't the James she had slapped at the end of her sixth year. The James Potter in front of her just looked...wrong. His usual windswept hair was now completely combed back with what looked like a very strong sort of gel. He wore his school sweater, his shirt was tucked in, and his Head Boy badge glowed. Lily swayed dangerously and a young fifth year girl rushed forward to support her from falling.

"What happened to you?" she asked, her eyes scanning him for an inch of the young, immature boy she had seen only a few months before. Sadly, there was no trace of him.

James gave her a soft smile but ignored her question. He turned his back to her and began the meeting, telling the prefects the passwords and to patrol the corridors. Lily should have been doing the same, but all she could do was stare open-mouthed at the stranger in front of her.

* * *

Remus and James entered the Marauders compartment and fell onto the seats tiredly. 

"Finally!" Sirius yelled as if he were a five-year old. He clapped his hands once and sat back. "So, Prongs, I hope you've been thinking ofa back-to-school prank! This is our last year, it has to be the biggest-"

"No."

"What?" Sirius looked at James, who sighed while answering, "I actually haven't thought about the prank once this whole summer."

"Oh," Sirius looked slightly put out now. "Well, it's okay. I'm sure we can think of something to do before we reach the castle. Right, so what sort of-"

"No."

"What?" Sirius asked impatiently. He turned to James again. "What do you mean 'no'?'"

"I mean," James replied patiently, "I'm Head Boy, Sirius. How would it look if the Head Boy paraded around school playing pranks?"

Sirius fell back onto his seat, arm crossed, looking sour. "Give someone a Head Boy badge and they think their King of the World," he muttered.

"What do you mean no pranks?" Peter asked, sounding scandalized. "We always do a prank at the start of the term feast! Everyone expects it!"

"Prongs," Remus said, leaning forward, "What is this?"

"What's what?" James asked.

"_This_," Remus gestured toward James, "What's happened to you over the summer? When did you become so..." He struggled to find the word he was looking for, "...mature?"

"Too mature, if you ask me," Sirius piped up, extremely annoyed.

Ignoring Sirius's comment, James shrugged at Remus. "I just figured it's time to take some responsibilites and sort out my priorites, you know?"

"Remus had plenty of duties when he became prefect, but he always found time for pranks," Peter put in cautiously.

"Thank you!" Sirius sighed.

"What's the real reason behind all of..._this_," Remus waved his finger at James again to emphasize him point.

James sighed and stared out the window. "You remember last year," James said quietly, "at the end of the year, when Evans slapped me?"

All three of them cringed at the memory, but nodded nonetheless.

"Well," James continued, "she told me she'd never go out for me because I was me and that the only way she'd consider even dating another guy was if they were the completely opposite of me. Well, I decided to do that. Become the completely opposite of what I was last year." He finished with a hint of pride in his voice.

A ringing silence filled the compartment, until Sirius broke it, "Blimey..I always knew you would do anything to get her, but I didn't know you'd go _this_ far." Sirius waved his finger at James just like Remus had minutes ago.

"So all of this is just to get Lily to go out with you?" Remus asked.

"Right," James agreed.

The young werewolf sighed. "Alright, Prongs, we know how much your pride is on the line here, so we're with you. Whatever changes you have to make is fine by us, just as long as you go back to normal right after."

"How did you get your hair to slick back? You've been trying for years until you said it was impossible," Peter said.

James grinned. "I went to France this summer. They have the strongest hair products there. It cost twenty galleons to buy the strongest gel they had."

The Marauders laughed and fell back into conversation. Remus challenged James to a game of chess, which he agreed to.Sirius said he hoped that Lily would agree to a date with him soon so that they could plan their huge blow-out prank. After voicing that thought, James shook his head while replying, "You realize, Sirius, that when she does agree to a date with me, I can't go back to the childish way I was before or she'll leave me in a heartbeat. No, it's better this way. I changed for the best." There was a hint of sadness in his voice which he hoped no one caught. "Knight to E-3," he said shortly. Glancing up, he was startled to see all three Marauders staring at him open-mouthed.

And so, they reached the castle and the feast went bycompletely uneventful. All through dinner Sirius was stabbing at his food moodily, Peter looked extremely disppointed, and Remus stared at James as if worried for his sanity. Many people gawked at seeing the Head Boy badge on James robes, but stared confusedly at how James stood back-straight and eyes completely focused on Dumbledore as the Headmaster made his usual speech. Nearly everyone, including the professors, was completely baffled at the Marauder's behavior.

* * *

And so, the next two months went by completely uneventful. Most of the student body believed that this was the Marauders big prank--to get the whole school thinking they had retired _from_ pranks. Admittedly, three-fourths of the Marauders hardly ever looked happy. Sirius was often moody while Peter and Remus often looked bored. The idea that it was all some huge joke quickly evaporated on one stormy morning in November. Sirius apparently got fed up with just homework and Quidditch practice and decided to entertain himself by beginning another duel with Severus Snape right outside the Great Hall. Hardly any of the professors noticed, but a huge amount of the student body scrambled to get out of their seats to see some of the action that they had been deprived of for many weeks now. 

"Ha! Surely you can do better than that?" Sirius yelled, dodging a jinx and sending one of his own.

"Now even close, Black!" Snape shouted as he threw an orange jet of light at him. Sirius dove behind a piece of armor which abruptly exploded as the jet of light made contact with it. Sirius's eyes widened slightly.

"Now, now, Severus, play nice!" Sirius mocked, sending another jinx.

In no time, the spells got more and more violent, finally resulting to a hex going astray and hitting a first year's school bag, which immediately burst into flames.

_"Aguamenti!"_

James Potter immediately came to the scene, pointing his wand at the bag and watched as the flames instantly died away.

"Prongs!" Sirius ran over and put an arm around him. "Thought you were going to miss all the fun! So, the regular, I assume?"

He pointed his wand and Snape and motioned for James to do the same. James, however, just looked at Sirius through his gold-wire rimmed glasses.

"Ten points," James said calmly, "from Gryffindor. Five from Slytherin. Detention for the both of you."

Gasps could be heard from the hall. Sirius began roaring with laughter. "Ho, ho! You actually looked serious for a moment there, Prongs!"

James was staring at his friend with a firm expression on his face. "I _was _serious. Be in Slughorn's office tomorrow night at eight. I'll tell him you'll be there."

The laughter's died from Siruis's face as he glared at James. He would have sent a jinx at him if it hadn't been for Remus holding him back. Peter stood a little ways off, eyes wide. Even Remus looked immensely shocked.

"James.." Remus said quietly. "You just gave Sirius a detention."

"What for!" Sirius shouted.

"For provoking him and causing a completely pointless disturbance in the corridors," James said calmly.

Before anything else could be said, James had turned on his heel and stepped into the Great Hall, leaving a ringing silence behind him.

"Merlin..." Sirius muttered. "Tell me he didn't do that."

"He just broke nearly every Marauder code," Peter said in awe.

"It's gotten too bad," Remus added, shaking his head. "We need to snap him out of this."

"Well, well," Snape drawled somewhere close to them. "I see your friend Potter has finally decided to act his own age. Shame, you might actually be able to learn something from him, Black."

Sirius sighed in frustration. Two minutes later, Snape was sent to the hospital with antlers growing out of the side of his head and his nose swelling rapidly.

* * *

Lily walked down the corridor, hoisting her school bag higher over her shoulder. She passed by a classroom and stopped abruptly. Looking through the window, she saw Remus, Peter, and Sirius in the classroom, heads together as if discussing something important. Opening the door, Lily stepped into the class room, shut the door behind her, and walked toward the trio. 

"Remus," Lily greeted and she continued walking, "I wanted to let you know that Potter and I switched your shifts, so you'll be patrolling the corridors with...with..." She trailed off, seeing the looks on the trio's faces. Neither of them looked at all happy. Her being there just seemed to make them angrier.

"What do you want, Evans?" Sirius snapped.

Taken aback, as her and Sirius had always been on good terms, Lily tossed her red hair over a shoulder and glared at him back. "I was just hoping to speak to Remus about prefect duties," she replied coolly.

Sirius gave out a harsh bark of laughter. "Please, Evans. Why didn't you just get James to do it? Chances are you could make him do anything."

"What are you talking about?" Lily demanded.

"Don't tell us you haven't noticed him changing?" Peter asked, looking at her intently.

Lily sighed. "Of course I have. Listen, Black, I know your upset about you getting a detention, but it was your own fault for picking on-"

"And do you know _who _gave me a detention?" Sirius asked heatedly.

Hesitantly, Lily shook her head, not sure she really wanted to know. She hadn't been there when it happened, she was just told by Beverly the incident. Now that she thought back, Beverly had seemed a bit hesitant to give out the name of the person who put Sirius in detention.

"James," Sirius spat.

Lily looked at him, suprised. "Potter put you in detention? Have you two had an argument?"

"No," Sirius said angrily, "He decided to _become more mature _this year-"

"That's never a bad thing," Lily replied. Admittedly, she really disliked the new rather dull James Potter.

"Yes, it is!" Sirius was shouted now, glaring at her so hard it unnerved her a bit. When he took a step forward toward her, Lily hastily stepped back. "You've seen what he's like, Evans! He hardly does anything but study and it's all because of you!"

"_Me_?" Lily asked incredulously. "Black, I haven't done a single thing to him."

"You've done more than you know, Evans!" Sirius shouted. "The changes, the hair, everything he did for you! He did it hoping that maybe, just _maybe _you would go on a single date with him! He's given up pranks, Quidditch, even us! And still, Evans, _still_ you won't even give him a second glance!"

Lily stood frozen to the spot, unable to move even when Sirius took a few more steps so that he was only give inches from her. So the whole reasons the whole school had now gone under depression because the Marauders had stopped doing what they do best, was because of _her_? She closed her eyes, remebering that day nearly five months ago when she had slapped him, remembering the absolute broken look on his face, remembering the way her heart broke at the sight of him, and remembering how at that very moment she wanted more than nothing for him to hold her and tell her it was alright and that he forgave her.

Yes, Lily Evans had fallen for James Potter nearly a year ago. The same year she was more horrible to him than she had been to anyone else in her life simply because she was afraid to admit she liked him, afraid to admit that she was now one of the many girls that stared at him in classes, blushed as he walked into the Great Hall, and couldn't help but feel her knees go weak as he ran a hand through his hair.

She missed the way he smiled, the way he beamed after winning a Quidditch game, the way he would always tease her, ask her out, play his immature pranks. She mostly missed his laughter, and knowing now that it was his fault he changed into something he didn't want to be made her insides swivel with guilt.

"It's not that bad," Lily said desperately, wanting the guilt to go away.

"He's missing the next Quidditch game," Remus said quietly, finally entering the conversation, "just to study for his Potions test."

Lily groaned and put her hand to her head. This wasn't what he wanted and she knew it. He saw the way he looked at the start of the term feast when no prank was playing. She saw the sad look in his eyes when he tried to slip his hand through his hair, only to see he couldn't. She knew he missed his old lifestyle, and that only hurt her more. Her knees buckled and she would've crumpled to the floor had it not been for Sirius, who grabbed her and held her tight, her back now up against the wall.

"You fix this," Sirius whispered, his eyes no longer angry, but looking at her pleadingly.

Wordlessly, she nodded and felt him let her go. The three Marauders looked at her one last time before opening the door and exiting.

"Oh, and Lily?"

Lily looked up to see Remus give her a small smile. "I'll patrol tonight so you don't have to. Even if it is with Snape." He made a face, causing Lily to giggle. He continued, "I'm sure you have more important things to do tonight." He gave her a meaningful smile and shut the door, leaving Lily alone.

* * *

Lily hugged her cloak tighter to herself as she felt the heavy raindrops hit her one after the other. She was so cold her hands were beginning to feel numb. Lily mentally slapped herself for thinking up of this insane plan. It was one in the morning and there sat the Head Girl by the lake while it was raining heavily. Definitely not the most sensible thing someone woudl expect the Head Girl to do. Lily sighed and got ready to stand up._ 'I should've known he wouldn't come.'_

She stood up, turned around, and let out a small shriek. There behind her stood James Potter in all his slicked back hair and tucked in shirt glory. He held an umbrella and Lily felt her small flicker of hope grow smaller. James Potter never used an umbrella, stating it was rubbish. He always loved the rain. She remembered times when he would simply stand in the middle of the grounds, looking at the sky as the raindrops soaked him to the bone. He never wore a cloak, just the simple school polo they had to wear. She gave a small smile at the memory.

But now, he held an umbrella and a thick cloak over him. She remembered how in her sixth year she had laughed and made fun of him for standing out in the rain. Maybe that was why he hardly stepped foot in the rain since...

"I'm glad you came," Lily said quietly, her hair soaking wet.

"I only came," James replied, his tone holding one of authority, "to tell you to come back inside. You're out of bed and its after hours. It's not something the Head Girl should do and if you had been anyone else I would've given you detention."

The small ray of hope grew dimmer at these words.

"I'm Head Girl, Potter," Lily shot back. "I'll wander where I please."

"You should get inside before I report you, Evans."

Lily looked up at him sadly. "Won't you sit with me a moment?"

James looked into her emerald green eyes and slowly, ever so slowly, nodded. Together they sat down on the soaking wet grass; James held the umbrella over them both.

"We don't need that, you know," Lily said, gesturing to the umbrella.

"Rubbish. We need it. We'll both catch colds otherwise."

Lily gazed at him, never tearing her eyes away. "You never cared before," she said quietly.

James eyes her tiredly. "Things change, Evans."

"Why?" Lily demanded. "Why did you feel the need to change now?"

"What do you care?" James retorted shortly. "I thought you'd be happy I changed. 'Self-centered pig', you said. You hated me."

"No," Lily shook her head hastily, feeling the rain slip down her cheeks and into her mouth. Or maybe those were her tears. "I never hated you."

"You did a good job pretending you did."

" I didn't know how else to act!" Lily was on her feet now. "I didn't know how to react to those new feelings, but I know now I handled them the wrong way!" James was on his feet now. "I hate what you turned into! I miss the old James! The one that laughed, the one that played pranks, the one who never followed dress code," Lily took the umbrella out of his hands and threw it, causing it to blow away in the wind. She also ripped off his cloak. "The one that stood and danced in the rain like there was no tomorrow! The one that I...grew to like." she finished lamely.

Their eyes met. James stared at her for a long time before answering, "Sirius put you up to this, didn't he?"

"He made me realize what I had done by not admitting it to you sooner. The old James I could handle. But this one is just...wrong."

"I changed for the best, Lily."

"No, you didn't!" With that, Lily shoved James with all her might, resulting in him falling back into the lake. When he surfaced, Lily swam over so that she was right in front of him. "The old James Potter would have loved to go swimming in the rain."

James didn't answer. Lily lifted her hand and ran it through his hair, which was now gel-free and wet. "I've tried," Lily continued, "to like this new side of you, but I can't. I miss the old you. James...did you change for me?"

James looked down, unable to meet her eyes. It didn't matter. That was a yes to Lily.

"Why won't you change _back_ for me?" she asked quietly.

"You really want me to change back?" he asked, just as quietly.

"I want you to be happy."

James looked at her and Lily instantly saw a change. The mischievious sparkle came back in those hazel eyes. For the first time in months, James broke into a true smile.

"Good," he said, his voice losing its firmness in an isntant. "I have two notebooks full of ideas pranks to make up for the lost time."

Lily laughed. James looked down and gave her the lopsided grin that made her heart melt. He leaned down and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. When they broke apart, Lily smirked. "This is a James Potter I could learn to love."

**Remeber to review!**


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